Origin
Salida, CO
Afternoon in Salida on Saturday
Local time
12:36 PM
MDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Salida, CO to Boulder, CO
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 51m
Distance
153.8 mi
248 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$23
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 40m
★
6 AM
2h 51m
8 AM
3h 13m
10 AM
2h 59m
12 PM
2h 57m
3 PM
3h 0m
5 PM
3h 12m
8 PM
2h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Salida, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Boulder, CO
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Salida, CO to Boulder, CO covers 153.8 miles and takes about 2h 51m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on West 5th Street, Poncha Boulevard, Crestone Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $23.17 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
76.9 miles from Salida, CO
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 25m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West 5th Street | — | — |
| Poncha Boulevard | — | — |
| Crestone Avenue | — | — |
| North Grant Street | — | — |
| Mesa Lane | — | — |
| US 285 North | — | — |
| I-70 | — | — |
| Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
West 5th Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Salida, CO and Boulder, CO.
1
Start on I Street
151 ft
·
9 sec
·
I Street
2
Turn left onto West 5th Street
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
West 5th Street
3
Turn right onto Poncha Boulevard
302 ft
·
13 sec
·
Poncha Boulevard
4
Turn left onto Crestone Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Crestone Avenue
5
Turn right onto North Grant Street
243 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Grant Street
6
Continue on Mesa Lane
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Mesa Lane
7
At the end of the road, turn left
6.9 mi
·
9 min
8
Turn right
4.3 mi
·
6 min
9
Continue straight
9.7 mi
·
15 min
10
Take the exit slight right toward US 285 North
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
US 285 North
11
Merge slight left
74 mi
·
1 hr 33 min
12
Continue straight
28 mi
·
39 min
13
Take the exit slight right toward CO 470 West: West CO 470 to I-70
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
·
CO 470 West: West CO 470 to I-70
14
Merge slight left
7.0 mi
·
8 min
15
Merge slight left onto Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway
16
Continue straight
7.5 mi
·
10 min
17
Continue straight
12 mi
·
19 min
18
Turn right onto University Avenue
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
University Avenue
19
Continue on 17th Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
17th Street
20
Turn right onto Athens Street
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Athens Street
21
Turn left onto 19th Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
19th Street
22
Turn left
89 ft
·
5 sec
23
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 76.9 miles from Salida, CO, or about 1h 25m into the drive.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 34 miles or 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 76.9 miles or 1h 25m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Boulder, CO than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Salida, CO so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Salida, CO
This is one driving day of about 153.8 miles and 2h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 34 miles from Salida, CO.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
77 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 76.9 miles from Salida, CO, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.17 one way
$46.35 round trip
$3.83/gal
25.4 MPG avg
54 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.05 | $24.54 | $49.07 |
| premium | $4.39 | $26.61 | $53.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $33.96 | $67.91 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 53.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 46.1 | 0 | $16.15 | $7.38 |
| Efficient EV | 38.5 | 0 | $13.46 | $6.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 61.5 | 0 | $21.53 | $9.84 |
Gas CO2
54 kg
EV CO2
18 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Boulder, CO
Afternoon in Boulder on Saturday
Local time
12:36 PM
MDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
2h 51m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
153.8 mi in 2h 51m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: West 5th Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Salida, CO to Boulder, CO is easy. At 2h 51m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Salida, CO to Boulder, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 51m. Total distance: 153.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Salida, CO to Boulder, CO is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Boulder, CO before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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